The grief suffered by the surviving families of loved ones lost to cancer should never be underestimated, as the will to persevere is all too often stronger than the disease itself.
For the Rich family of Cochrane, raising funds for research and awareness of orphan cancers – the lesser known, rarer and often poorly funded cancers – will never replace the loss of their 28-year-old son, brother, father, teammate, athlete and friend four years ago, but it might help ease the pain to know that their efforts could help save future lives.
On Tuesday night, the Rich family held the second annual fundraiser in honour of Jarrid Rich, who lost an arduous three-year-long battle to cancer March 7, 2013. Jarrid suffered from a rare form of cancer – peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma in his lungs.
Tuesday would have been Jarrid’s 33rd birthday. He left behind two children, now 10 and 13.
“His massive sense of humour,” reflects his sister, Sarah, is what she misses the most about her baby brother, explaining that orphan cancers are “the cancers that nobody talks about and knows about.”
A rare or orphan disease will affect one in 12 Canadians.
Beginning in 2011, Jarrid’s Team embarked on what would become an annual journey of more than 200 km for the annul Enbridge Ride to Cure Cancer – a two-day cycling event through Kananaskis that raises funds for the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Jarrid, in between intensive chemotherapy treatments, participated in - and finished - the ride in 2011 and 2012. The swift and unforgiving return of his cancer in early 2013 prevented him from taking part in the ride again.
“People just didn’t know where he got it (his energy) from,” said his mother, Susanne, admiring her late son who managed to get out on the field to coach his kids’ soccer games while undergoing treatments and noting that his athleticism, tenacity and competitive spirit has been passed down to his kids.
“It’s important to me, because it’s important to him … and I plan on doing the ride when I’m 16,” said his now 13-year-old daughter, Grace – a St. Tim’s student who is a budding competitive athlete herself in track, cross-country and basketball.
His 10-year-old son, Jaxon, is an avid hockey player.
“He had a big heart and wanted to pay it forward and help those who are experiencing cancer,” explained his godfather, Frank Symons, who has ridden on Jarrid’s Team from the beginning.
Since 2011, Jarrid’s Team has risen to 19 from four riders and has fundraised well over $150,000.
This year’s fundraiser, held at Townhall Public House, added $2,100 to the pot. Supporters paid $17 for a beer and burger, with proceeds going to the cause. The family raised $950 from the one-night event last year.
“Even though he’s not physically with us, he’s spiritually here with us,” said Symons, sporting a Jarrid’s Team custom jersey – with purple (Jarrid’s favourite colour), the depiction of him lifting a bike in the air, with the sun represented shining down on him in bright yellow.
Symons said they are always looking for more riders of “all levels and abilities.”
This year is the ninth annual event and takes place Aug. 12 to 13. Since its 2009 inception, the annual ride, which takes place in four provinces, has raised more than $60 million.
For more information or to donate, go to jarridsteam.com.
